Have you ever had a day when you unambiguously question how come you were so different from that of the trees, of the clouds, of the ants, or the air? Have you ever been pulled into questioning? What was inside your identity that you were so different from among them all? Well, who could not? But if you have not asked yet, dive in and let us talk about identity.
From what I perceive, identity was both an external and internal thing you had within yourself that people could directly identify about you. It could be that your name Mary, Gay, Quem, Ervin, Sheryl, or Ella will be what you are known for, but what if your name happens to be the name of all? How can you be identified? Besides your name, what could be your identity?
Basically and straightforwardly, our identity lies only in truism. What did God call us to be, is also our primary purpose. What did God call us to be? The first time He thought of making a man, God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.”
Genesis 1:26, When God made man 'us' the input of our human being is the input of the being of our God. You and I had the characteristics of the God who we so adore and worship and love. He did not give His attributes on the creation He made from the first day to the fifth day. It was when only he thought on the sixth day that he would make a creature after Himself. Ponder that you are different from that of the creation you see every day. And that you are even extra special than them. You do not look like a tree, soil, a cloud, or a bird. You look like God. You bear His image, and that image is your identity.
You do not look like a monkey. If ever you think our origins started from being a monkey into a man, trash that idea then because your identity never came from a monkey. That is their believed that is why people act like an ape or like a dog. Do not Darwin yourself.
What did God call us to be? He called us His own.
Identity Point #1:
Comprehend your identity started from acknowledging who made you.
Genesis 1:26 God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness."
Can you notice how this verse points out that He, God being in a singular pronoun, makes man in the power of 'us', a plural pronoun? He purely refers in there that in the making of humans, were created in the triune of God, the Father, God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit. God's external features do not only confine our image. But also the characters, each one of them represents. Who God is should be our core, our identity.
God is love (1 John 4:8). On the condition that love is patient and kind. It is not jealous, not proud, and not rude. It is not demanding, not irritable, not resentful. Not glad in injustice, but rejoices with the truth. It never gives up, never loses faith, and endures in every circumstance (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Then that also should be our knowledge of our identity that we as well must exhibit.
"Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love." 1 John 4:8.
If you did not know what your identity is, or if you have become one who acknowledges Jesus in his or her life, then consider what love means. So you will know what it means bearing the image of God is also having love that 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 means. Do not mistake love by defining it otherwise from what the Bible, His word means. The lesser the knowledge you have about love, the lesser you will know how to love anyone and anything. The lesser you know about Him, the lesser you will become.
Identity Point #2:
What you only know about Him is what you only know about your identity.
Genesis 1:26 God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness."
'Our' is stating that we have been owned. And though we had the freedom and independence from anything, this does not mean we are necessarily under no one's ownership. We been have made, but not every creator or manufacturer of their products possess their products. So how somebody’s holding of us does becomes our identity?
It is as like, as becoming children to our parents. We were certified with the surname given by them, so we will be identified as their children from the day we were born. And as we grow up, we live in their provision and discipline. Though we eventually leave our homes to marry someone, we are not purchased. That is how being owned by somebody becomes our identity. Ergo, were owned, not just made. But in the aspect of spirituality, whom do you think holds you today? In whose discipline, provisions, and molding do you see yourself growing and living? God, our Maker, might still bless us, even if we rarely see ourselves being in the discipline of Him. Because when God loves, He does not force. He initiates.
Identity Point #3: Acknowledge Him as He acknowledges you as His.
We already said that our identity must start knowing who made us, then knowing our Creator's character, and acknowledging us, as the property of our Maker. But there is one more exactly to know who you are.
In the book of Jeremy Snyder, like Jesus, he quoted there, "We are all God’s creation, but not every one of us is God’s children." Why? Besides God's acknowledgment of ownership towards us, the mighty thing you will know about your identity was that you also have to include acceptance of Jesus within you. Recognizing is different from acceptance. Acknowledgment could be just a simple welcome, but acceptance is yonder. It is submission.
John 1:12 But to all who believed in Him (Jesus) and accepted Him (Jesus), He (God) gave the right to become children of God.
We were entitled as God's children if we accept Jesus and have faith in Him. And the only way we can do this is to deny ourselves, take up His Cross, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). That is an accurate submission.
Identity Point #4 Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
Lastly, the foundation of your identity must be the truth. We mean what God exactly tells in the Bible. You must not base your identity on what the world calls you or sees in you.
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. – 1 John 4:4
Your identification is not on your course, profession, number of your followers and friends, your grades, your emotions, your thoughts, your philosophies, or on your logic. Time and time again, these notions have been reiterated. Have not we learned from that? Many pretend that they do not see their identities as these. Yet, they center themselves in the privilege this world could offer. Sadly, so many were blinded. I hope that you are not one of them. I desire that you see yourself as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). And that you always do what God tells you to do, which is only through lending your ears to the Holy Spirit. It is not being a perfectionist or equating yourself to the perfection God had, but this is glorifying the perfect One.
Identity Point #5
Your emotions, your thoughts, your name, your experiences are not you.
Finally, we have run through some details about knowing your identity that who you are is who God called you to be. These might not be all, but when you delight yourself in God, you will know much more.
You are made for a purpose that God intended.
You are known for the reason that Jesus died for you.
You are called for a cause that the Holy Spirit is with you. So do not worry and confuse yourself in knowing who you exactly are.
Gellie Farañal
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